LSU sophomore catcher Ty Ross doesn’t really know how it’s done — maybe through some supernatural ninja focus.
From his perspective, he sees a pitcher struggling to hit the target he provides. Then, from out of the frame, LSU’s new pitching coach Alan Dunn strides in.
“A guy will throw a couple balls in a row, and [Dunn] will say one thing to him,” Ross said. “Before you know it, the next three pitches are right on target. He just works really well with the guys, and I think he’s going to make a huge impact for us this season.”
Whatever method it is, LSU hopes its talented group of pitchers reach their potential by taking notice of LSU’s resident pitching sensei’s methods.
LSU struggled at times under Dunn’s predecessor, David Grewe, leading to prolonged slumps. The Tigers posted a 5.56 team ERA in 2010 and a 4.13 ERA last season.
A fresh perspective could mean the world to an LSU squad that will be dependent on the performance of its pitchers.
Enter Dunn, who LSU coach Paul Mainieri plucked from the Baltimore Orioles minor league system to provide the guiding light for his talented staff.
“Alan has a tremendous ability to teach,” Mainieri said. “It’s really kind of mesmerizing because he’s got a great balance of being firm with the players but also very positive. I think the kids are really reacting to his coaching.”
The 50-year-old Dunn is nearly 30 years older than his sophomore trio of weekend starting pitchers, and he is using old-school methods to teach his players the finer points of pitching.
Some of Dunn’s methods remind Mainieri of a different time in the sport. For one, Dunn has had the team’s pitchers throw batting practice for the hitters — a tactic that has gone the way of the dial-up modem and in-flight meals.
But its revival by Dunn has already had an effect.
“What a beautiful thing it was,” Mainieri said. “The hitters never faced that kind of batting practice pitching. And I think it helped our hitters. I think it helped our pitchers as well. … It was almost like a bullpen session.”
While the majority of Dunn’s 20-plus years of coaching experience have come in the professional ranks, he is no stranger to Southeastern Conference baseball.
In the early ’80s, Dunn played for Alabama, pitching in the Crimson Tide’s second College World Series appearance in 1983, when they were the national runners-up.
The SEC also served as Dunn’s launching point for his coaching career, as he served as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt in 1991-92.
After spending the last 19 seasons in the pros, Dunn was intrigued by the prospect of a return to the collegiate level.
“The college game, in general, was appealing to me,” Dunn said. “Just having the opportunity to have the quality of pitchers that we have is icing on the cake. … I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to get back into college baseball.”
Dunn quickly established a relationship with his pupils — one that was demanding, but also rewarding.
He worked with sophomore hurler Kevin Gausman on a new pitch to offset his electric fastball and came up with a curveball designed to keep hitters off balance.
“We developed more of a 12-6 curve ball,” Gausman said. “That’s been something that he has been working real hard with me about. He’s not afraid to get behind the plate and catch either, which is something we all like to see. ”
But Dunn has brought more than just a technical approach to coaching.
The pitchers have gone through a rigorous training method to get their bodies in top shape before the grueling season officially begins — much of it under Dunn’s watch.
“He’s been working us hard,” Gausman said. “This is the best shape that all of our pitchers have ever been in. We always joke that we run more than the track team.”
The pitchers understand that through Dunn’s methods, their hard work will pay off — in the win column.
“He has this way about the kids,” Mainieri said. “The way he coaches them, the way he works with them … it’s a lesson every day. He puts on a clinic with those kids.”
 
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Contact Luke Johnson at [email protected]